Air purifying means

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is apparatus for conditioning the air being supplied to a confined space, such as the compartment of a motor vehicle, the apparatus including an ozone generator being disposed as the feedback loop of the heating-cooling system of the motor vehicle. The ozone generator disclosed includes either a single sealed gas tube or a plurality of adjacently disposed sealed tubes.

o 1., finite States merit 1191 1111 3,75%,556

Duke et al. Aug. '7, 11973 1 MR PURIFYING MEANS 3,421,836 1/1969 Sundinet al 21/53 4 7O [75] Inventors: Douglas Roy Duke; Asa M. Pearson,94'723 2H9 Gray 62/264 both of Dallas, Tex.

. Primary Examiner-William F. ODea {73] Assignee. Air Guard Inc.,Garland, Tex. Assistant Examiner paul Devinsky (22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1971Att0meyRichards, Harris & Hubbard [21] Appl. No.: 173,824

[52] US. Cl 98/111, 21/74 A, 204/319, [57] ABSTRACT 1 62/78 Disclosed isapparatus for conditioning the air being l 3 3/00 3/12 A61] 9/00supplied to a confined space, such as the compartment [58] Field ofSearch 98/2.11; 21/53, 54, of a motor vehicle, the apparatus includingan Ozone 21/74 102; 165/42; 204/3181 176; generator being disposed asthe feedback loop of the 23/222; 99/228; 62/264 78 heating-coolingsystem of the motor vehicle. The ozone generator disclosed includeseither a single sealed gas [56] References cued tube or a plurality ofadjacently disposed sealed tubes.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,290,376 7/1942 Marshall 204/316 6 Claims, 4Drawing Figures III PATENTED 3. 750. 556

S!GNAL SOURCE :HGNAL SOURCE "WWW AIR PURIFYING MEANS The presentinvention pertains to air conditioning systems, more particularly to themethod of and apparatus for ozonizing air circulating in a confinedspace, and even more particularly to the combination of an ozonegenerator with the cooling and heating system of a motor vehicle.

It is generally recognized that the full and effective conditioning ofair within an enclosed area involves more than just effective heatingand cooling, but also requires the treatment of this air in such amanner as to eliminate any offensive qualities thereof. Thus, toaccomplish these objectives, not only has air conditioning apparatusbeen designed to include means for controlling the proper humidity ofthe confined air, but also to reduce the irritants and offensive odorsassociated therewith. The efficient and effective conditioning of theair becomes even more critical with respect to enclosed spaces ofautomobiles and other motor vehicles since the presence of carbonmonoxide therein prescnts a serious health hazard.

As a consequence, many air conditioning systems have included ozonegenerators for discharging ozone into the confined space, which ozonethen combines with the polluted air therein to reduce or eliminatenoxious odors or irritants. In addition, it has been discovered thatsince ozone reacts with carbon monoxide to form oxygen and carbondioxide, an innocuous gas at normal concentrations, the provision ofozone to the confined areas of the automobile also eliminates any carbonmonoxide which is present therein. However, while various type systemshave been designed to incorporate the ozone generating apparatus, theseprior systems have generally proven unreliable and have not beencompletely effective for all conditions of service.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a new andimproved air conditioning system incorporating ozone generatingapparatus therewith.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improvedmethod and apparatus for effectively circulating ozone throughout aconfined space of an automobile or other motor vehicle.

It is an even further object of the invention to provide a new andimproved design of an ozonizer uniquely incorporated with theheating-cooling portion of an air conditioning system.

In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention isdirected to apparatus for conditioning the air being circulated within aconfined space, the apparatus including an ozone generator for purifyingand decontaminating the air as it travels through the airconditioningapparatus. Specifically, the ozone generator is incorporated with theheating-cooling system of an automobile in such a manner that aircirculating within the system may be continuously recycled past theozone generator, the generator being coupled intermediate the high andlow pressure sides of the fan which directs the air past the coolingand/or heating units.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the ozone generator which isemployed in the air condi tioning apparatus comprises either a singlesealed gas tube or a plurality of adjacently disposed sealed gas filledtubes, respective electrodes associated with each tube being coupled toa cyclically varying voltage source, one of the electrodes beingdisposed within the tube, the other electrode being disposed around orremote from the tube.

A more complete understanding of the invention, as well as additionalfeatures, advantages, and objects thereof, may be had by reference tothe following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the apparatus of the inventionillustrating the incorporation of the ozone generator with theheating-cooling system of an automobile;

FIG. 2 illustrated one preferred embodiment of the ozone generator;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the ozone generator shown in FIG.2 illustrating the electrical connection thereto; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the ozone generator.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is depicted apparatus 10 in accordancewith the design of the present invention for conditioning the airsupplied to the passenger compartment of an automobile. Accordingly, aconventional fan 11, which may be of the squirrel cage type, has anintake port 12 and a plurality of output ports 13 for circulating airflow 14 past the conventional cooling and heating portions 15 and 16 ofthe system. As illustrated, the fan may" be adapted to rotate in aclockwise direction to direct the air flow in the direction of thearrows through the channel 18 and thereafter through the duct17 past thecooling and/or heating apparatus. The so-conditioned air is then ventedout the exit of the duct 17 into the interior compartment 20 of theautomobile. The fan, ductwork, and heating-cooling portions areconventional and need not be further described for the purposes of thepresent invention.

In accordance with the unique feature of the present invention, however,an ozone generator 21 is coupled by way of conduits 22 and 23, asillustrated in FIG. 1, so that a portion 14a of the air flow is directedthrough the ozone generator 21 and thereafter into the channel 18 of thefan 11. The conduit 22 communicates with the duct 17 at the opening 25,and the conduit 23 communicates with the channel 18 at the opening 26,the opening 25 being located at a position of relatively higher pressurethan that present at the opening 26. In this manner, the conduits 22 and23 (and the generator 21) provide a negative feedback arrangement toenable the air portion 14a to flow in the direction represented by thearrows.

As a consequence of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. I, the air whichis to be supplied to the interior compartment 20 is thoroughly treatedwith ozone (0 prior to being cooled or heated by the units 15 or 16.Thus, the air which is subsequently introduced into the compartment 20is effectively mixed with the ozone, which ozone is effective inreducing or substantially eliminating noxious odors contained within theenclo sure 20, as well as eliminating any carbon monoxide which mayexist therein.

While various designs of ozone generators may be utilized for theapparatus 21, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the ozone generator 21 may comprise apparatus illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3. Accordingly, and with initial reference to FIG. 2, aplurality of elongated enclosures or tubes 40, 40a, 41, and 41a aredisposed within a cylindrical housing 50, the air flow 140 beingintroduced into one end of the enclosure 50 past the elongated tubes andthereafter out the other end of this enclosure. As subsequentlydescribed, the oxygen within the airstream 14 is transformed into ozoneat a highly efficient and controlled rate as it passes through theenclosure 50.

Disposed within, and sealed by, the walls of the tubes 40, 40a, 41, and41a is a gaseous medium which ionizes in'response to a minimum voltagedifferential appearing across the respective tube, the resultingionization generating radiation of desired wavelength (normallyl,849A.). Referring now to FIG. 3, the generator 21 includes a signalsource 60 for providing the required energy to the load network 70. Thesignal source 60 may be of any conventional type known in the art forsupplying a cyclically varying voltage differential E across the leads71 and 72, the output signals from source 60 being of the alternating orpulsating direct current type, for example. If required, a transformer85 may be disposed between the source 60 and the load network 70 toprovide the necessary step-up in voltage. It is pointed out, however,that the transformer 85 is not a critical portion of the apparatus 21and may be omitted when the magnitude of the voltage supplied from thesource 60 is of sufficient value.

As illustrated, the sealed tubes 40 and 40a are arranged in paired sets80; and the sealed tubes 41 and 41a are arranged in paired sets 81, eachtube of the particular set having an electrode respectively coupled tothe leads 71 and 72 and which extend into the interior of the respectivetube. For example, paired set 80 comprises sealed tubes 40 and 40ahaving respective electrodes 75 and 76 coupled to the output leads 72and 71. Similarly, paired set 81 comprises sealed tubes 41 and 41ahaving respective electrodes 77 and 78 coupled to the leads 72 and 71.

As a consequence of the operation of the ozone apparatus 21, when thevoltage potential between the electrodes 75 and 76, for example, reachesthe minimum required value, at either the negative or positive portionsof the cycle, both the tubes 40 and 40a trigger, the resulting burst ofenergy associated with the gas ionization within these tubes generatingradiation of the 1,849A. wavelength through the walls of the tubes 40and 40a and into the intervening space 29 between the tubes. Thecollision of this radiation with the oxygen atoms within the space 29,as well as the establishment of the high electrostatic field across thespace 29 between the electrodes 75 and 76 consequently transforms theoxygen into ozone. Thus, and due to the combinationof the radiationbombardment and the electrostatic field, increased efficiency andcontrol of the ozone production is effected.

As thus described, it can be seen that an increased amount of ozone canbe produced since the ozone generation is being caused not only by theradiation generation through the walls of the tube, but because adjacenttubes have their respective electrodes at differing potentials, and theresulting electrostatic field set up across the space between eachadjacent tube also serves to assist in the ozone generation.

For convenience of illustration, each of the tubes have been designatedin FIG. 2 by a positive or negative polarity indicating their relativevoltage relationships with respect to one another. Thus, for example, atany one particular instance in time, the enclosure 40a is not only at anegative potential with respect to its associated paired tube member 40,as previously described, but is also at a negative potential withrespect to the adjacent tube 41. As a consequence of this arrangementelectrostatic field gradients are set up be tween the tubes ofadjacentpaired sets, which gradients also contribute to the generation of ozonewithin the atmosphere surrounding these tubes. Thus, it is observed thatas the air flow 14a is introduced into one end of the enclosure 50, theoxygen within this airstream is transformed into ozone at a highlyefficient and controlled rate as it passes throughout the other end ofthe enclosure 50 into the conduit 23.

As a consequence of the utilization of the paired sets of scaled tubesor enclosures in the manner previously described, a high degree ofcontrol can be maintained over the production of ozone by not onlyregulating the magnitude of the voltage applied to the leads 71 and 72,but also by changing the distance between adjacently disposed tubes of aparticular set, or by regulating the distance between adjacent sets.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is disclosed an alternate embodiment ofthe ozone generator 21. Accordingly, the load network 70 comprises, asdistinguished from the embodiment just described with respect to FIG. 3,a single sealed tube filled with the appropriate gaseous medium. Asbefore, one of the electrodes 63 is disposed within, and sealed by, thewall of the tube 65. The other electrode 64 (coupled to output lead 72)is disposed on the outside of and coiled around the outer wall of thetube. Thus, the voltage potential E is established between theelectrodes 63 and 64, thereby establishing the electrical field acrossthe tube itself, and when the voltage potential E reaches thepredetermined minimum, the gaseous medium within the tube 65 ionizes todischarge the radiation into the atmosphere surrounding the tube. Thus,it is observed as before, there is established both an electrostatic andradiation energy source directly adjacent the outside of the tube 65. Bydisposing this apparatus within a housing through which the air flow 14ais directed, as described with respect to FIG. 1, the combination ofelectrostatic and radiation energy effectively and efficiently convertsthis air to ozone for subsequent introduction into the compartment 20.

Various other modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments ofthe invention, as well as alternate embodiments may be provided, withoutdeparting from the spririt and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims. A

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for conditioning the air being circulated through aconfined space, said apparatus comprising:

a blower having an input and an output for providing a source of air,

a main duct in fluid communication with the output of said blower andsaid confined space,

an ozone generator,

a first feedback duct having an opening into said main duct and coupledto said ozone generator for delivery of a portion of the air from saidblower to said generator, and

a second feedback duet having an opening to said ozone generator andcoupled to the input of said blower to deliver ozone treated air to saidblower.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said first feedbackduct has an opening at a relatively higher pressure than the secondfeedback duct at said blower.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said confined space isa compartment of a motor vehicle, and further including heating andcooling means disposed intermediate said first feedback duct and saidcompartment.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim I wherein said ozone generatorcomprises:

i. a sealed enclosure having a gaseous medium disposed within saidenclosure,

ii. a pair of electrodes associated with said sealed enclosure, one ofsaid electrodes being disposed within said enclosure, the other of saidelectrodes being disposed outside of but adjacent said enclosure, and

iii. means for applying a cyclically varying voltage across saidelectrodes sufficient to ionize said gaseous medium, thereby to producean electric field gradient between said electrodes as well as emittingradiation through the surrounding wall of said enclosure upon saidionization.

5. Apparatus for conditioning the air being circulated through aconfined space, said apparatus comprising:

a source of air,

duct means in fluid communication with said air source and said confinedspace,

ozone generating apparatus including a sealed enclosure having a gaseousmedium disposed within said enclosure, a pair of electrodes associatedwith said sealed enclosure, one of said electrodes being disposed withinsaid enclosure, the other of said electrodes disposed within a secondsealed enclosure having a gaseous medium therein, the pair of scaledenclosures being separated from one another by a defined space, and

means for applying a cyclically varying voltage across said electrodessufficient to ionize said gaseous medium, thereby to produce an electricfield gradient between said electrodes as well as emitting radiationthrough the surrounding wall of said enclosures upon said ionization.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said cyclically varyingvoltage is effective to ionize the gas eous medium within said secondsealed enclosure.

1. Apparatus for conditioning the air being circulated through aconfined space, said apparatus comprising: a blower having an input andan output for providing a source of air, a main duct in fluidcommunication with the output of said blower and said confined space, anozone generator, a first feedback duct having an opening into said mainduct and coupled to said ozone generator for delivery of a portion ofthe air from said blower to said generator, and a second feedback ducthaving an opening to said ozone generator and coupled to the input ofsaid blower to deliver ozone treated air to said blower.
 2. Theapparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said first feedback duct hasan opening at a relatively higher pressure than the second feedback ductat said blower.
 3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein saidconfined space is a compartment of a motor vehicle, and furtherincluding heating and cooling means disposed intermediate said firstfeedback duct and said compartment.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim1 wherein said ozone generator comprises: i. a sealed enclosure having agaseous medium disposed within said enclosure, ii. a pair of electrodesassociated with said sealed enclosure, one of said electrodes beingdisposed within said enclosure, the other of said electrodes beingdisposed outside of but adjacent said enclosure, and iii. means forapplying a cyclically varying voltage across said electrodes sufficientto ionize said gaseous medium, thereby to produce an electric fieldgradient between said electrodes as well as emitting radiation throughthe surrounding wall of said enclosure upon said ionization. 5.Apparatus for conditioning the air being circulated through a confinedspace, said apparatus comprising: a source of air, duct means in fluidcommunication with said air source and said confined space, ozonegenerating apparatus including a sealed enclosure having a gaseousmedium disposed within said enclosure, a pair of electrodes associatedwith said sealed enclosure, one of said electrodes being disposed withinsaid enclosure, the other Of said electrodes disposed within a secondsealed enclosure having a gaseous medium therein, the pair of sealedenclosures being separated from one another by a defined space, andmeans for applying a cyclically varying voltage across said electrodessufficient to ionize said gaseous medium, thereby to produce an electricfield gradient between said electrodes as well as emitting radiationthrough the surrounding wall of said enclosures upon said ionization. 6.The apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said cyclically varyingvoltage is effective to ionize the gaseous medium within said secondsealed enclosure.